Improvement in combs



@niet rs1- gsfmggffig JA MES H. BRIGGS,v OF BROOKLYN, NEIV YO RK..

n Letters .Patent lVo. 69,755, dated October 15, 1867.;

u 'IMPROVEMENT IN (l0 MBS.1

` TO ALL WHOM I'll MAY CON CERN:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. Barcos, of the city of Brooklyn, in' the county of Kings, and State ot' New York, have invented a. new and useful Improvement in Fine-Tooth Combs; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference boing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to so arrange a metal strip or band on tine-tooth combs, that the said combi may' thereby be strengthened, or that two halt' combs may thereby be united to make one.

It is'well known that fine-tooth combs, especially those made of ivory, are very tender, and consequently -very apt to break. It is also known that whenever one of the teeth. should break out the comb will be useless for the market. I not only strengthen ue and weak combs, but I am also able to use the injured comb, as I can use the uuinjured half of the comb by connecting it with another similar one. By my invention, moreover, avery large quantity of material is saved, as I can .use halves on which scarcely more than one-eighth of au inch of 'materialis left besides the teeth. I can also use combs of which one or more teeth are broken out.- In that case I cutout the injured part and tit the other parts together, a joint not being noticeable when the parts are firmly clamped between the metal rings.

The combs'herein referred to can be made of ivory, horn, rubber, ora-ny other suitable material, and may bc provided with teeth of any desired ineness or coarsene'ss. If ivory is used, my process is still morevaluablo.

It is known that the ivory tusks are much injured by cracks, which run from the outside towards the ccntrc,

and which are of various lengths. To avoid these cracks, it is new a very tedious job to so arrange and divide the spacesthat none of the ivory might be lost. A process has been-invented whereby the ivory is cut spirally in shavings of the necessary thickness. This process could notbe employed for the common combs, as they would be too apt to retain or regain their curved shape. By my metal straps I can hold the combs and prevent them-fromshljinking, and thus I can make use "of the spiral shavings of the tusk. In the annexed drawing my invention is illustrated 1 Figure 1 being a plan or top view ot' my improved comb.

Figure 2 is a cross-section of the same taken on the line :u x, iig. l.

Figure 3 isa longitudinal section of the same taken on the line of 1/ y, iig. l.

Figure 4 is a cross-section of a whole eombstrcngthened by metal bands.

The two halt` combs A A are connected and joined by one metal band B, which is provided with ilanges n, which fit into grooves cutinto the combs.. The outside of' this metal band may be ornamcnted in any suitable manner. Instead of the metal band, two metal strips may be used, which are pressed together in such a manner that they cannot be taken' apart, and that they will safely and securely hold the two or more pieces ofthe comb. In fig. 4 is shown a whole comb, C, which is strengthened by such metal band or strips I), and is thereby prevented` fromV shrinking-and from breaking' easily. l

' I am aware that two halves of combs have already been joined by ivory or horn straps, but they could not be secured withouttlie usc of rivets, andthe latter are altogether imprneticable for the brittle material of which the combs are generally made; moreover it is a. very tedious and costly process to secure these rivets in place, and to adapt the combs to the same. l

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The connector B, constructed as described, when provided with right-angular flanges a, filling into longitudinal grooves eut-into the comb A, as herein set forth for the purpose specified.

The above specification of my invention signed by 'me this 26th day et' November, 1866.

JAMES' II. BRIGGS.

Witnesses:

WMfF. MeNAMAnA, ALEX. F. Renners. 

